Typewriting machine



June 9, 1925 1,541,191

J. A. B. SMITH WRITINCT MACHINE Filed Jime 10, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 9, 1925. r

J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented June 9, 1925.

nmro STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE A. B. SMITH, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed June 10, 1921. Serial No. 476,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn A. B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet-collating means, in which a statement-sheet and a ledger-sheet may be positioned relatively to a record-sheet. The data typed upon a number statement-sheets and ledger-sheets are recorded upon a single record-sheet, the latter remaining in the machine, While the successive staten'ient-sheets and ledger-sheets for the individual customers are inserted in front of the record-sheet. Since the recordsheet is of considerable length so as to obstruct access to the rear of the platen, and the amount of typing on the statementsheets and ledger-sheets is comparatively small, it is undesirable to insert the statemerit-sheets and ledger-sheets from the rear. T hey are therefore inserted from the front of the machine, the usual feed-rolls having previously been cast off, and auxiliary feedrolls being provided for holding the recordsheet in position while the statement-sheets and ledger-sheets are adjusted in position. To aid in adjusting the sheets inserted at the front of the machine, there is provided a collating table at the front of the platen provided with left and right side edge gages.

The present invention contemplates the insertion of the statement-sheets and ledgersheets at the front of the machine from the right-hand side when the typewriter carriage has been returned to the right, so that the sheets may be in position for typing as soon as they are adjusted relatively to the record-sheet without further setting of the carriage. To aid in inserting these sheets from the right, there is provided a guard on the ri ht-hand end of the main frame of the typewriting machine to facilitate the passage of the sheets between the platen and the usual paper-apron. When the state ment siieet and ledger-sheet have been inserted around the platen, they are adjusted with their left edges against the left side edge gage of the collating table. The ledger-sheet, which is usually wider than the statement-sheet, projects some distance to the right beyond the latter, and has hitherto been clamped by a clamp mounted adjacent the right side edge of the collating table, said clamp gripping the portion of the ledger-sheet which projects beyond the statement-sheet and leaving the latter free to be adjusted relatively to the ledger-sheet and record-sheet.

It has been found, however, that the clamp, which has hitherto been pivotally mounted adjacent the right side edge gage of the collating table, and which was swung outwardly to ineffective position when it was not desired to clamp the ledger-sheet, tend? ed in some instances to obstruct the insertion of the statement-sheets and ledger-sheets when they were inserted from the right. Also, it was not feasible to mount a clamp of this type adjacent the left side edge gage of the collating table, because the statementsheet was gaged against the same side edge gage as the ledger-sheet, and therefore lay directly over the ledger-sheet, so that when the clamp was swung outwardly to ineffective position, it would tend to tear the overlying statement-sheet, and the latter would obstruct the movement of the clamp.

The present invention, therefore, provides a clamp which may be mounted adjacent the left side edge gage 0f the collating table to permit the statement-sheets and ledgershe-ets to be inserted from the right without encountering obstruct-ions, and to clamp the ledger-sheet in position beneath the statement-sheet, said clamp being so constructed that it may be released without being obstructed by the statement-sheet or tending to tear the latter. For this purpose, the clamp comprises a jaw movable toward and from the table and constantly parallel thereto, and beneath which the ledger-sheet is clamped after being adjusted relatively to the record-sheet, the statement-sheet passing over said jaw. The clamp isso construct ed that both sheets may be freely adjusted against the same side edge gage, and the operative jaw of said clamp may be released from contact with the ledger-sheet, said aw moving at right angles to the' collating table. The clamping jaw moves but a short distance suflicient to release the ledger-sheet, but remains between the ledger-sheet and statement-sheet while said sheets are fed forwardly in the typing operation.

The type of clamp herein described is particularly desirable when the upper sheets of a number of superposed sheets on the collating table extend beyond the clamps which hold the under sheets. VVh'ere swinging clamps were employed, it was clifficult or awkward to clamp upper sheets at points beyond the clips which held the lower sheets, for the upper sheets would then prevent or interfere with the swinging of the clamps to inelfective positions. With the clamp used in the present invention, the lower sheets may be laid beneath the clamping jaw to be clamped thereby, while the upper sheets are passed over the clamping jaw and clamped at a pointabove the first clamp. Of these upper sheets, it is possible to lay certain of the lower ones beneath the clamping jaw of the second clamp and pass the upper sheets above this jaw to be clamped by a third clamp above the second. It will thus be seen that with this type of clamp, a number of superposed sheets may be clamped anywhere on the collating table, above or below the point at which an underlying sheet is clamped, for, when the clamps are released, the jaws are raised slightly to release the underlying sheets, said remaining between the sheet below it and the sheet above it, and not interfering with the feeding of the sheets.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

hi the aecon'ipanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front view of the carriage of an Underwood standard typewriting machine with the invention applied thereto, the position of the record-sheet, ledgersheet, and statement-sheet being indicated in dot-and-dash lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1., through the clamp as applied to the collating table, the clamp beingshown in ineffective, or open, position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to l igure 2, but showing the clamp in closed or effective position.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the device shown n Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the clamp applied to the table. and showing the method of adjusting the sheets with respect thereto.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view showing the means for holding the auxiliary feed-rolls in ineffective position.

A platen 10 is listed upon a shaft or axle 11, journaled in the end walls 12 of a platenframe 13, which comprises a usual rear paper-table 15 provided with a forward extension or paper-apron 16 having openings through which project front and rear feed rolls 1'? and 18 for holding worksheets against the platen. and which may be thrown off in the usual way by the feed-roll-release hand e 19. With the feed-rolls thrown off, a work-sheet, such as a record-sheet 20, may

be passed down the rear paper-table and around the platen to the printing point, indicated by the type-head 21, and held in position by auxiliary feed-rolls 26 mounted upon a shaft jouri'ialed in bearings 28 on the end walls 12, said shaft being operated by a lingerpiece 29 to swing said auxiliary rolls to effective or iiefi'ective position. The auxiliary rolls are ordinarily held in elfedive position by springs 30 fixed to the shaft and to the bearings 28, but the rolls may be held in ineffective position by swinging the fingenpiece 29 rearwardly where it is held by a spring detent 31 (Figure 6) mounted on the platen-frame. To release the linger-piece 29, the spring detent 31 need only be moved to one side to allow the finger-piece to move forwardly and swing the rolls 20 to etfective position. fi h'en the work-sheet is adjusted in position and held by the auxiliary rolls, a statementsheet and a ledger-sheet, together with their associated carbonsh'eets, may be inserted from the front of the machine between the paper-apron and the platen, and may be c 'ded between said apron and platen by a guard or guide fixed to the main fran'ie of the typewriting nachine and projecting forwardly to co-operate' with the forward edge of the paper-apron, said guard being more fully described in my co-pending application Serial No. #105,013, filed August 21, 1920 (now Patent No. 1,489,224, dated April 1, 192 1).

With the carriage moved to a position substantially at the extreme right, as shown in Figure 1, the statement-sheet 35 and ledger-sheet 3b, with their associated carbonsheets, are swung downwardly from the QX, treme right, in front of guard 25, toward the left, and are adjusted in position on a collating table Said table comprises two portions 38 and 30 mounted for lateral adjustment, preferably by countersunk screws 40, upon a bar 41 fixed to a frame which is mounted by cross-bars 43 and the end-walls 12 and in end members 25 mounted on said end walls, respectively. The recordshect 20 may be guided to the rear below the collating table by means of a spring finger mounted on shaft 2?, said finger conforming to the curvature of the platen. and therefore not interfe with the overlying statement and ledger-sheets.

When the statement and ledger slieetsj have been inserted in the H12 ine, they are then collated upon, the table 3? with respect to th record-sheet and to each other. sheets are gage-d against a left s gage on tlie collating table, the ledg sheet 36 ieing inser ed beneath a 52 of a clamp mounted adjacent said left side edge gage, while the statement-sheet 3-5 is passed over said By thus mounting the clamp adjacent the left side edge gage,

the statement-sheet and ledger-sheet may be swung downwardly at the right without encountering projections on the right-hand side of the collating table due to the clamp. The jaw 52 comprises a flat strip which lies parallel to the table 37 and fol-ins one branch of a spring 54, the other branch 55 of said spring contacting with the under side of table 37 to which it is fixed, as by rivets 61 (Figure 2). A reinforcing plate 56 is provided for the spring 54. For opera-ting said jaw 52 to clamp or release an underlying sheet, there is provided a fingerpiece 58 pivotally mounted in the upstanding arms 62 of a U-shaped bracket 57 comprising the plate 56 fixed to the under side of the collating table, preferably by the same rivets 61 passing through branch 55 of the clamp, said finger-piece having camsurfaces 59 and 60 for clamping and releasing the jaw 52. hen the ledger-sheet 36 is properly adjusted beneath jaw 52, fingerpiece 58 is swung upwardly to cause camsurface 60 to contact with said jaw 'and move the latter downwardly to eifective position, and thus grip the ledger-sheet (Figure 3). The portion 39 may be adjusted so that the right side edge of the ledger-sheet, which extends beyond the st'atenienbsheet, may be gaged against gage 49 as well as gage 51. The overlying statement-sheet 35 is then adjusted in position beneath extensions 63 of the bracket 5'? which prevents said sheet from falling forward, whereupon the feed-rolls 17 and 18 are applied to all the sheets, and the clamp 53 is released by swinging: finger-piece 58 downwardly {to} bring cam-surface 59 in contact with jaw 52, so that said jaw may spring upwardly a short distance sufficient to release the ledger-sheet, the jaw 52 remaining between the ledger-sheet and the. statement-sheet, and lyin parallel to said sheets.

The jaw 52 in released position, therefore, does not interfere with the forward feeding of the statement-sheet and ledger-sheet. This construction differs from clamps hitherto used, in which the clamping jaws, corresponding in function to jaw 52, swung outwardly about pivots so that the overlying sheets would interfere with their movement, or else these sheets would be torn by the clamps in their outward .movement. The work-sheets may be aligned by means of the edges 65 of the usual wing-scales 66.

Variations may be resorted to Within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a. collating table at the front of the platen upon which work-sheets may be adjusted, a clamp formed to be interposed between work-sheets on the collating table for clamping one of them by a lateral margin, said clamp being movable slightly toward and from the collating table while remaining about parallel therewith, and a single sideedge gage on the collating table extending above and below said clamp, and gaging the sheets placed upon and underneath the clamp.

2. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a collating table at the front of the platen, an edge gage upon the collating table, means for clamping a worksheet against the collating table, comprising a thin bladelike clamping jaw which passes through the edge gage and has a smooth upper face to permit the unobstructed passage of worksheets thereover, and means for causing the clamping jaw to move through a limited range toward and from the collating table in substantially fixed angular relationship thereto.

3. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a collating table at the front of the platen, an edge gage upon the collating table, means for clamping work-sheet against the collating table, comprising a thin blade-like clamping jaw mounted outside the edge gage and passing theret-hrough, said clamping jaw having a smooth upper surface to permit the unobstructed passage of worksheets thereover, and a cam-lever mounted on the collating table adjacent the edge gage for controlling the clamping jaw to move it to clamping position and to limit its movement away from clamping position to prevent its being moved more than the distance necessary to withdraw its clamping face from contact with the work.

4. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a collating table at the front of the platen upon which work-sheets may be adjusted, an edge gage on the collating table, a paperclamping jaw movable through said gage, and means for constraining the aw to move toward and from the collating table in substantially fixed angular relationship thereto.

5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a collating table at the front of the platen upon which work-sheets may be adjusted, a clamping jaw movable toward and from the collating table, resilient means urging the clamping jaw away from the collating table, and a cam-lever pivoted on the collating table for moving the jaw to effective position, having a handle and having two flat surfaces located at different distances from its pivot for engaging the jaw to retain it in its effective position and in its ineffective position.

6. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a collating table at the front of the platen upon which work-sheets may be adjusted, an edge gage at the side of the collating table. a clamp comprising a spring clip having upper and lower substantially parallel legs loop .po

ncc g them, the lower oi? the clip being rigidly secured to the collating table in force said leg to clamping relationship with the table, and in the other direction to permit the upper leg of the clip to'rise a short distance to release the paper on the collating table.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with platen around which sheets are fed, of a collating table at the front. of the platen and upon which sheets are adjusted, and means for clamping said she to said table, said means com 'irising a c ,p having one branch fixed to the table and the other branch forming a clamping jaw extending above table and parallel thereto, and means for moving said jaw downwardly to clamp said sheets to said table.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen around which sheets are fed, of a collating table at the front of the platen and upon which sheets are adjusted, and means for clamping said sheets to said table, said means comprising a clip having one branch fixed to the table and the other branch forming a clamping jaw extending above said table and parallel thereto, and a cam member pivotally mounted adjacent said clip for moving said jaw downwardly to clamp said sheets to said table.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen around which sheets are fed, of a collating table at the front of the platen and upon which sheets are adjusted, and means for clamping said sheets against said table, said means comprising a spring clip having one branch fixed to said table and the other branch forming a clamping jaw extending above said table and parallel thereto, and a cam member pivotally mounted adjacent said clip, said cam member having a cam surface for contacting with said jaw to move the latter downwardly to clamp said sheets to said table, said cam member having a second cam surface for permitting said jaw to spring upwardly out of contact with said table to release the sheets.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen around whicha plurality of superposed sheets are fed, of a collating table at the front of the platen and upon which sheets are adjusted, said table having a side edge gage, a clamp mounted on said table adjacent said side edge gage and having a jaw projecting inwardly parallel to the table, so that sheets may pass above and below the jaw, the remainder of the clamp exclusive of said jaw being mounted outside of the side edge gage, so that all of said sheets may be gaged against side edge gage without being obstructed by the clamp, and means for moving said jaw downwardly to clamp to said table the sheets lying beneath the jaw.

11. in a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen around which a plunlity of superposed sheets are fed, of a collating table at the front of the platen and upon which sheets are adjusted, said table having a side edge gage, a clamp mounted on said table adjacent said side edge gage and having a aw projecting inwardly parallel to the table, so that sheets nay pass above and below the jaw, the remainder of the clamp exclusive of said jaw being mounted outside of the side edge gage, i'o that all of sa d sheets may be gaged i 'ainst said side edge gage without being ob- & ructed by the clamp, means for moving said jaw downwardly to clamp to said table the sheets lying beneath the jaw, and means whereby said may move upwardly to release the underlying sheets, said jaw remaining between the lower and upper sheets during the feeding of said sheets,

12. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a paper-table at the rear of the platen for guiding a wide sheet to the platen, a collating table at the front of the platen for receiving a narrower sheet, a rotatable shaft, means carried by said shaft for directing said wide sheet between the lower edge of the collating table and the platen, and means connected to the shaft for constantly urging the shaft in a direction to render said directing means effective. said shaft being rotatable against the action of said last-named means to render the directing means ineffective, and means for holding said shaft in ineffective position.

13. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a papentable at the rear of the platen for guiding a wide sheet to the platen, a collating table at the front of the platen for receiving a narrower sheet, a rotatable shaft, means carried by said shaft for directing said wide sheet between the lower of the collating table and the platen, means connected to the shaft for constantly urging the shaft in a direction to render said directing means effective, said shaft being rotatable against the action of said last-named means to render the directing means ineffective, and means for bolding said shaft in ineffective position, said last-named means comprising a spring catch and a handle fixed to said shaft and engageable by said spring catch when the shaft is rotated in a direction to render the directing means ineffective.

14. In a typewriting machine, a platen, feedrolls (lo-operating therewith, a front insertion guide for wor z-sheets at one end portion of the platen, front collating table having a side gage at the other end portion of the platen, and a clamp holding the un derneath sheet stationary after its adjustment and during the adjustment of the outer sheet, the clamp comprising a blade-like jaw and means controlling the jaw to cause it to more through a narrow range and always in substantially parallel relation to the collating table, the clamp being releasable without disturbing the outer sheet, and permitting the sheets to be line-fed together.

15. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a front insertion guide at one end portion of the platen, a front collating table having a side gage at the other end portion of the platen, and a clamp clamping the inner sheet after it has been adjusted and during adjustment of the outer sheet, said clamp comprising a short blade-like clamping jaw movable slightly between its clamping position and its inefiective position, being in both positions substantially parallel to the collating table, permitting the inner and outer sheets to be gaged one below and one above the clamping jaw.

JESSE A. B. SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDITH B. LIBBEY, JENNIE P. THORNE.

ill 

